The Perfect Drug
by ntepAC
Summary: "Look at me. You've seen the stuff I've been through. You were the main cause of that. But, here I am. Here you are. I know you don't fully trust me yet, but please. Trust me on this." ZaDf, eventual ZaDr. M for content/language. M/M, no like, no read.
1. Broken

_**EDIT: THE TITLE WILL BE CHANGED ON 7 AUG 11 TO 'The Perfect Drug'. This isn't a song-fic, I promise. I think that title fits better honestly.**_

_**I am surely alive… And filled with goo! XD Aheh, yeah. I'm back… While waiting for Assassin's Creed: Revelations, I've decided to take up an old habit. Or obsession. Perhaps Zim invaded my life again? :D So, not what I normally write, but expect more random parings. If you don't like ZaDr, then please don't read or flame (I mean, seriously. I wrote about Ezio/Leonardo. You gotta expect an M/M from me in this show too. XD). And rated M, because that's what I'm used to writing. I don't own Assassin's Creed and I don't own Invader Zim (But if I did, that show would surely be back on the air! :D).**_

_I didn't know what I was feeling… My dad said something to me about the birds and bees, but… it was one of those pre-recorded things… Damn him and his job. Always busy. I stared at myself in the mirror, my complexion unfriendly today. I poked at the acne, combed my hair, then walked downstairs to the kitchen. I was too big for the chute above the sink now. I chuckled, thinking back to being a child. Always trying to show Zim for the Irken he was._

"Speaking of Zim… I haven't seen him in years… wonder what happened to him…" Dib sat down at the table and began eating the cereal he prepared.

"Brush your teeth, and Gaz, feed the puppy." The recorded message echoed in the house.

"If we still had that puppy, she'd be dead by now." Gaz sighed, walking into the kitchen. "Dib, you're eating my cereal…"

Dib looked at the cereal. "Oh shiat…"

Gaz's eyes narrowed.

"W-wait Gaz!" Dib stood up hastily, knocking the cereal to the floor.

"And now you've wasted it…" Gaz's left eye opened, her dark pupil glaring into Dib's soul.

"Fug…" Dib looked at the wet floor.

One of the cleaning bots came and cleaned up the mess, returning the bowl to the table.

Dib sighed. "I miss dad."

Gaz didn't back off. "You… will… pay…"

"No, seriously. Look at us. He's never around, we take care of ourselves – We've been doing that since elementary school. And who spells school with a 'k'?"

Gaz looked around. "Yeah… I guess that's kinda dumb."

"I'm sorry Gaz."

Gaz sighed. "Eh, I guess it's okay."

"I haven't seen Zim around, have you?"

"No, I haven't…" Gaz shook her head.

"I'm going over to Zim's."

"He hasn't been there for years, what makes you think he'll be there now?"

"I… I don't know. But while I'm out, I'll buy you some more cereal."

"Okay." Gaz shrugged and sat down, pouring the rest of her cereal in a bowl.

xxx

The green house looked run-down. No one had been there in years, Dib approached the fence, the gate open. He looked at the garden gnomes, throwing a rock near them, to see if they shot. They didn't. He cautiously walked past the gnomes, up to the door, now noticing it was ajar. He roiled his brows and walked inside. Wires were torn and falling, some sparks emitted every once in a while. Dib remembered the trash can was a way into the lab, and he stumbled down into it. When he finally was able to stand up again, he looked around. A dark red ambience seemed to fill the lab. He heard some groaning in the back, and began towards it. "Zim?"

Someone gasped.

"Zim, are you here?" He turned a corner. Suddenly a loud crash scared Dib, and he jumped backwards. "Who's there?"

"Worm…baby…"

Dib's ears perked (He imagined how Zim's antennae perk when he's alarmed.), and he ran towards the pile that had fallen. "Zim! Oh my god, are you okay?"

"Why…" Zim hissed, his skin pale. "Why do you care?"

Dib observed Zim. He was just as small as he was when they first met. His PAK was plugged into the computer, but no power seemed to be going to the PAK. "How long have you been here?"

"Four of your Earth years… Computer… lost power. Zim can… barely get… any power to… PAK…" Zim gasped for the air his PAK failed to filter.

"Zim, let me take you to my lab! I can he-"

"Why!" Zim hissed again. "You're just… another human worm-baby… Why do you care?"

"Zim, please."

"Invaders… need help from… no one…"

Dib sighed. "Alright. Have it your way." Dib shrugged and began to leave.

Zim blinked. "W-wait, Dib-stink."

Dib turned around. "Yeah?"

"Can you… find a way… to power Zim's… computer? Or at least Zim's… PAK… so Zim can survive coming to… your lab?" Zim gasped.

"Yeah. I'll be back." Dib nodded.

xxx

"Gaz! I found Zim! He's injured! I need your help!"

"Where's my cereal?"

Dib blinked. "I'll get it after we get Zim here."

"Alright." Gaz sighed. "I guess…"

xxx

"Zim? Are you still here?"

"Where do you think Zim'd go?" Zim hissed.

"Aheh… sorry. Here, plug your PAK into this."

Zim looked at the device Dib brought. "I don't know if I can survive disconnecting from the computer…"

"Isn't there another thing you could plug into this?"

Zim blinked, and a hatch opened on his PAK. "Take that… cord and plug it in…"

Dib obeyed, plugging it into the device.

After about two minutes, Zim gasped suddenly. "I… I can breathe!" Zim exclaimed. "I AM ZIM!"

Dib chuckled.

Zim looked at Dib, then disconnected himself from the computer. "How long will this last?"

"An hour." Dib said. "Let's go."

"Wait, I need to-"

"No time. Recharge at my house, then you can come back."

Zim sighed. "Alright, Dib-stink."

xxx

Zim sat down, Dib's computer recharging his PAK.

"Can it even hold a charge anymore?"

"I don't know…" Zim sighed. "My Voot Cruiser is ruined…"

"I still have Tak's ship." Dib said.

Zim looked at Dib, surprised. "Still?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you helping Zim? Dib-stink?" Zim stared intently, his crimson eyes glowing.

Dib blinked. "Well… I…"

"Out with it!"

"I don't know… I just feel like I should help you."

Zim stared at Dib. "Why?"

Dib shrugged. "So, I guess after you recharge, you're going to return to destroying Earth?"

Zim's eyes lost the life Dib had given them. "No… Zim is no invader…"

"What? But you just said today that an invader needs help from no one."

"Zim took your help, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but you would've died if you didn't."

"Invaders need help from no one. Zim needs help from you. Zim is no invader."

Dib sighed. "Oh… Well. I… Um… Shit."

Zim looked at Dib. "Dib-human, you've grown quite a bit."

"Humans have a thing called puberty."

"Yes, Zim knows this." Zim nodded. "You're taller than me…"

"Yeah. Growth spurt."

"Zim knows this!" Zim exclaimed, but the life left again. "Zim is so short…"

"Maybe you'll grow some."

"No. If Zim were to grow more, that would mean he would be as young as you, Dib-meat. Zim is over 100 of

your Earth Years old."

Dib blinked. "Whoah…"

Zim nodded. He looked at his PAK. "Zim remember when you almost died, trying to steal Zim's PAK."

"You almost died too."

"You didn't care then."

"But I do now."

"Explain to Zim why you care! Zim doesn't understand!" Zim jumped up on the chair and grabbed Dib's trench coat, shaking him furiously.

"I can't explain it… I don't know why Zim, but I can't explain it! You were missing for four years, back then I would've loved that, but now… I've changed more than just physically Zim."

Zim blinked and turned loose of the coat. He sat down again, looking up again at Dib. "How else? Besides caring for your enemy? Now you'd definitely be a horrible soldier."

Dib shrugged off the insult. "Zim, I don't want you to be my enemy anymore. I'm tired of fighting you – I did enjoy the time you were missing…" Dib noticed the twitch of Zim's antennae. "but not for the glee of you missing. I enjoyed not fighting you… and now that I found you, I don't want to fight you. And you said you're not going to destroy Earth anymore anyway… So why bother fighting over a planet we both are going to live on?"

Zim's antennae dropped. He looked down to the ground, broken.

"Are you okay?"

Suddenly Zim looked up at Dib, smiling. "Zim is better than okay!"

Dib roiled his brows. "You sure?"

"Zim is sure."

Dib smiled. It was the first time he had seen Zim smile in years. And it wasn't the evil smile he normally wore. Dib realized this was the first time he had ever seen Zim smile, genuinely.

"What are you staring at?" Zim asked.

"Nothing." Dib shook his head. "So, are we friends?" He stuck his hand out for Zim.

"Whoah-whoah-whoah! No. Aquaintances?" Zim asked.

"Alright, fine. Aquiantances." Dib nodded.

Zim shook Dib's hand.

"Good. So tomorrow we can go get your stuff you need from your base."

Zim nodded.


	2. Defect

_**Originally I wanted it to be a one-shot, but I felt it'd be too short if I made it so (And I couldn't figure out a good ending, so I'm stalling for time! XD) What better way but to make it longer, huh? And if Dib seems a bit OOC, he grew. He's in Hi Skool now. So I believe he's changed enough to merit such OOC-ness. As for Zim and his OOC-ness, I've nothing. :P I'll say again, I don't own this, the characters, or the show. All belongs to Mr. Vasquez and his ingenious brain. :D**_

Dib opened his eyes and realized Zim was still awake. "Do you sleep?"

"Yeah, sometimes."

Zim sat at Dib's computer, searching with Google. "What is this… Google? Zim thought it was spelled "o-l", not "l-e"…"

"A play on words, and it's a search browser. Didn't your computer have that?"

"Dunno… Zim would ask, but the computer is not functional."

"Oh yeah…" Dib put on his glasses. "It's four in the morning, Zim. You should sleep."

"PAK is charged, Zim does not require sleep."

"Rest your actual body. It's been through a lot the past four years." Dib noted the PAK was still plugged into his computer.

Zim looked at Dib. "And where will Zim sleep?"

"I can get up if you want." Dib sat up, stretching. "I have some stuff I should take care of anyway."

Zim seemed hesitant to take the offer. "Zim is fine."

"Zim, seriously. I think you should rest."

"Why are you so insistent on Zim sleeping?" Zim began to wonder if Dib secretly wanted to dissect him. "You will not cut the Zim open!"

"Zim, calm down. I'm not going to dissect you – Why would I want to do that?"

Zim shrugged. "Old hobbits die hard."

"Habits."

"Whatever."

Dib stood up. "Here."

Zim looked at Dib again. "Fine." He walked over and sat on Dib's bed, moving the cable connecting him to the computer.

"Why are you still connected to the computer if your PAK's charged?"

Zim shrugged. "Dunno."

"It'd be easier if you took it out."

Zim disconnected his PAK from the computer. "Happy?"

Dib shrugged. "I guess. Hey, how old are you, in Earth years?"

"20."

"Wow… And that's what? 190 some Irken years?"

"Yep." Zim nodded, laying down. He felt the stress melt from his body as he relaxed. "Hey, Dib, you're right. Zim feels good…"

Dib chuckled. "Told you. Y'know, the kids at Skool never missed you."

Zim shrugged. "Who needs them?"

Dib nodded. "Yeah…" He began typing on the computer. "Hey, I just realized you called me 'Dib'!"

Zim chuckled. "Watcha working on?"

"A stinkin' essay on the civil war."

"Sounds stupid."

Dib laughed. "It is. And it's due tomorrow."

"Hey, you think we could go get Zim's stuff now?"

"No, maybe in a couple of hours."

Zim scowled.

"Deal with it. You need to rest."

Zim's scowl lessened, and he closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

xxx

Dib looked over at Zim a couple of hours later. He smiled to himself, then looked at the clock. He shrugged, grabbed his clothing, and walked into the bathroom and changed. When he returned, he walked over to Zim. "Hey, Zim. It's 6. If you want to go get some stuff now, we can."

Zim didn't stir.

"Zim?" Dib shook Zim lightly. "Zim, wake up."

Zim still didn't stir. He seemed to be gasping.

"Shit!" Dib tried to get his PAK to open so he could connect him to the computer. He eventually forced a panel open.

Zim jerked up, breathing again. "What happened?" Zim asked.

"Your PAK doesn't hold a good charge anymore, it seems." Dib sighed. "I've got that portable battery you can plug into when we go if you want."

Zim looked at his hands. "Zim can't barely live anymore…"

"No, I'm sure we can fix your PAK. Can't your Tallest send you supplies?"

"Zim is not an Invader, how can the Tallest send supplies to a Defect? Even Zim's PAK is defective."

"Do they know you've realized you're not an Invader?"

"No… But, how can Zim lie to the Tallest?"

"Easy. Just do it. It's for your life." Dib shrugged. "And they lied to you."

"Wait, how do you know that they assigned me to Planet Earth?"

"Only because you've told me several times, and… My spybug…" Dib shrugged.

Zim saw Dib's reasoning. "Alright. Allow Zim to contact the Tallest!"

"The computer'll do it." Dib motioned to the computer.

"Alright." Zim stood up, and sat down at the computer. "Computer, establish a connection with the Massive."

Dib's computer droned: "Invalid Voice Input."

"Dib-stink! Why does your computer not obey ZIM!" Zim stared at Dib.

"So much for Dib…" Dib muttered. "Computer, establish a connection with the Massive."

"Connecting."

The screen flashed black, then the Tallest, stunned, looked into the screen. "Zim?"

"You're alive?" The purple one asked.

"My Tallest, yes, I am alive and well… But, Zim requires supplies, for the mission."

The Tallest looked at each other. "Zim… What mission?" The red one asked.

"To conquer Earth."

"You were sent to observe it…" Purple groaned.

"Alright, Zim needs supplies to observe Earth."

Red's eyes widened in surprise. "He didn't object?" He muttered to Purple, though Zim could hear it.

"My Tallest, I require parts for my PAK, it seems to have lost its ability to hold any power."

Purple and Red looked at each other. "Um… Zim…" Red sighed. "We can't send you any of those supplies. Your PAK is defective… You were banished because you're defective."

Zim didn't seem to recognize the Tallest just outed their lie. "But, I need those supplies, or Zim will expire on this dirt-ball of a planet!"

Purple shook his head. "Sorry Zim. Can't help you." They cut the connection.

Zim shook slightly, shaking more after each minute.

"Zim, are you okay?"

He stood up and looked at the cable. "My Tallest…"

"Zim, do you have the parts at your base? I'm sure we could fix it."

Zim fell to his knees, hugging himself. "My Tallest…"

Dib kneeled down next to Zim. He placed his hand on Zim's shoulder. "Zim… I'm sorry… I didn't know, that… you had emotions…"

Zim snorted through his mouth. "Zim has emotions… Invaders don't." He sighed. He wiped his eyes and stood up.

Dib looked into Zim's eyes. "Are you okay?"

Zim nodded. "They're no Tallest of mine. Let's go to the base and get the stuff I need."

xxx

"Dib-meat. I can only survive without my PAK for 10 minutes, you've got to be quick!" Zim growled.

Dib nodded. "I know."

"Grrr… Okay. Do it." Zim disconnected the PAK from him. He sat still in the chair as he watched Dib work furiously, switching parts in the PAK. He had spent the vast majority of the day learning the PAK schematics from Zim, so he could do the repair.

"Zim, how are you holding up?" Dib asked five minutes into the procedure.

"Zim is… good." Zim fought hard to keep up the façade that he was okay. His squeedily-spooch hurt.

"Okay, almost done." Dib closed the PAK and connected it to the computer. It powered up immediately. "Here, put it on."

Zim attached his PAK to him again, and breathed in deeply. "I AM ZIM!"

Dib stared at Zim. "Did it work?"

"Let's find out, shall we?" Zim disconnected the computer from his PAK, stood for a minute and blinked. Fear shone brightly in his bright crimson eyes. "Dib-monkey, I… It worked!" The fear dissipated, refilled with the most joy the small Irken had ever shown.

Dib let his held breath go, relieved.

The joy quickly turned to pure evil. "Let's give the Tallest a call, shall we?"

Dib blinked. "Uh-oh…"

_Sorry it's shorter than the first one... But I kinda want to save the next event for a chapter of it's own. So. There you go. I may get it up tonight (or this morning, rather) too. Which would be a miracle... Three chapters over 1,000 words in one night? :D_


	3. Rift

_**Zim becomes evil in this chapter (which is one of the many chapters that make me have to rate this whole thing M). More in character than he'll ever be with this story. When being an Invader is all you have to look forward to, it's like ripping your heart out, then asking, can you live still? Hey, sounds like a breakup. XD Almighty Tallest Vasquez owns all of Irk, and the Earth-an-oids that he created, and all that Irk rules.**_

"I quit!"

The Tallest stared at Zim. "Two transmissions in one day Zim? Really? We're not sending you-"

"I QUIT!"

Purple blinked. "You quit what?"

"Being banished."

"Zim, we've already gone over this, you can't quit being-"

"DAMN IT LISTEN TO ZIM!"

The Tallest stare in disbelief at the shortest Irken alive, besides Skoodge, who is still a loyal Irken Invader. "How dare you talk to your Tallest like that!"

"You're no Tallest of mine! I quit being banished! I quit being an Irken!"

"Zim, calm down. I know you're upset about being a defect."

"FUCK YOU!"

The Tallest looked at each other. "Fuck you? What does that mean?"

"Uh... it means I hate you."

Purple looked at Red. "Um… okay?"

"Zim, cut it out!" Red growled.

"OR what? You'll banish Zim! Ha! You can't when I'm not Irken!"

"Look, Zim, we understand you're angry," Red tried to say.

"You bet I'm angry! You two lied to Zim, and you ripped away from Zim the only thing he had to live for! BEING AN INVADER!" Zim glared at the computer. "Oh yeah, Dib here fixed my PAK for me, so yeah!"

The Tallest blinked. "Look, Zim, we've gotta go."

"Not until you hear what I've got to say! I'm tired of being the shortest Irken, the lowest rank! For once, you will listen to what Zim has to say! I QUIT!"

"You said that al-"

Zim shook, closing his eyes. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

The Tallest jerked at the word they learned was associated with hate. They stared at Zim, saying nothing.

"I revoke my status as Irken, as Invader, and as a Defect. I am no longer any of those, you are no Tallest of ZIM! You can't even run your own fucking empire, Purple. As much of… _pigs_, these humans are, they're much better than you Irken Scum!"

The advisor to the Tallest stood nearby, his green eyes wide, along with all the technician's eyes, to the insults.

"That whole Hierarchy is just bullshit! The Tallest is the leader? Is he smart enough to rule? Obviously not. Look at Purple." Zim pointed to Purple.

Red looked at Purple.

"And you, Red, you're so abusive to Purple, it's pathetic! No wonder Pur can't do anything! No wonder he needs you to run the empire! He's so submissive!"

Purple flinched, and looked at Red.

"You never believed in Zim… Zim would do anything for you, so you would recognize him as an Invader. But nope. It was never good enough." Zim looked at his hands. "Curse you Irken hands!"

Dib roiled his brows, having stayed off screen. "Huh?"

"Your… Human gesture to insult someone."

"Oh, right." Dib smirked.

Zim put both his hands together, wrapped his two fingers around his other hand, forming a make-shift middle finger. He hit the computer screen with it.

"What does that mean?" Red said hesitantly.

Zim put his face as close to the computer as possible. "Fuck. You. And your whole Empire!"

xxx

The Tallest saw the transmission cut.

Rarl Kove walked up to them. "My Tallest, Defect Zim is now a threat to you."

Red shrugged. "Nah."

"He may try to kill you."

Purple looked at Red. "Am I really that bad of a leader?"

Red shook his head. "No, no you're not. You're great! The empire wouldn't be the same without you."

Purple looked at his own hands. "I don't think so."

"C'mon Pur. Don't let what Zim said bother you." Red placed his hand on Purple's shoulder.

"But he spoke the truth… You are abusive."

Red flinched. "Eh…"

"Zim is right…" Purple looked pained.

"My Tallest?" Rarl asked.

Red looked at Rarl. "What?" He snapped.

"What do we do about Defect Zim?"

xxx

"So…" Dib looked at Zim, who was breathing heavily.

Zim's eyes flashed over to Dib. He was laying on the desk, having fallen down after cursing the Tallest out.

"Are you…"

"Dib-meat… This… feels so… good… No wonder you humans take pleasure in "cussing out" your enemies." Zim smiled.

"You look tired."

"Zim has never done that before." Zim jumped up. "When the Tallest realized what fuck means! Their faces!"

Dib chuckled. He looked around. "I just realized GIR isn't around."

Zim looked around. "We didn't grab him? Eh, let's go get him."

xxx

"Well… We can get him deactivated." Red said. "What do you think, Pur?"

Purple shrugged.

"C'mon Purple."

Purple looked away.

"Damn it, quit listening to Zim!" Red hit Purple.

"See?" Purple scowled. "This is what he ment. You're abusive! You know what? I quit listening to you until you respect me!." Purple crossed his arms and floated to his quarters.

Red's mouth gaped. "Purple…" He growled. "Fuck!"

The engineers gasped. "My Tallest!"

Red glared daggers at each and every one of them. "What? You going to question me too?"

They averted their gaze and continued their prior work.

Red growled to himself, and sat down. He grabbed some nachos, but didn't feel like eating them. He threw them on the floor. "That… Defect… Establish a connection with Planet Earth. I need to talk to Zim."

xxx

"Dib, sir, incoming transmission."

Dib walked back into the room. Zim followed. "From?"

"The Massive."

Zim's antennae flattened. He looked guilty.

"Zim, it's okay."

"No it's not. I cussed out my Tallest…"

"Take the transmission."

Tallest Red appeared on the screen. "Zim? Where are you?"

Zim refused to walk into sight.

"He's busy right now."

"You're that Dib-human he spoke of to us before, right?"

"What is it to you?" Dib growled.

"Why are you in Zim's base?" Red growled back.

"Zim's base is in disrepair. He's in my house."

Red snarled. "Let me talk to Zim."

"I said he's busy."

"I don't care. Let me talk to him, I command him to come to the screen!" Red yelled.

Zim began to walk slowly in front of the screen. His antennae were flat against his head, and he dared not look at the Tallest.

"Zim, I order you to come to Planet Judgementia to be de-activated."

Zim nodded.

"Zim! What are you doing? You just stood your ground against him, and now you're submitting to him?" Dib hissed.

Zim's antennae raised. He looked up. "Dib's right. I don't have to listen to you, I'm not Irken."

"Zim, you have no choice in the matter."

"Yes I do!" Zim growled.

Red sighed, seeing that Zim's hardened will has shifted for a new cause. "Fine. You're an Exile now. You may never use Irken equipment again. Not even your PAK."

Zim's antennae flattened. "How can Zim live as an Exile if Zim can't use his PAK? PAK is LIFE!"

"That's the point Zim. If you won't come to Judgementia in one cycle, we will send Sizz-Lor to retrieve your PAK. You'll die either way."

"Who's we? Huh? Purple isn't even there now! And it's not like Zim can come anyway! Zim no longer has a Voot Cruiser!"

"Fine. I'll send you a Cruiser." Red facepalmed himself.

"No, I don't want any of your cruddy Irken supplies!"

"Zim, I swear, if you've inserted some sort of rift into this Empire with your words… I will personally come and kill you." Red glared. "One cycle. That's it. I'll see you on Judgementia."

The Transmission was cut.

"He's still sending it anyways, right?"

"You bet." Zim smiled.

"How long is a cycle?"

"About one of your Earth months."

"What? One month! How long does it take to get there?"

"A cycle."

Dib blinked. "Are you going?"

"Nah. Sizz-Lor can't do anything to me." Zim smiled.

"But… Wasn't he the one who broke into class and abducted you for a week?"

"I was gone longer than a week!"

"Nah. Just a week."

"Oh… But yes."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"I have a plan…" Zim smirked. "We're just going to let him take my PAK."

"Why?" Dib growled. "Then you'll die!"

"Not if we make a back-up PAK."

"With what?"

"Computer, open up a communication line with Prisoner seven-seventy-seven on Planet Vort."

"Input no-"

"Just do it." Dib sighed.

"Okay."

A pale-red-eyed Vortian answered the call. He stared at Zim, then looked at Dib.

"Zim, I thought you were dead…" 777 said, startled.

"Nope. I'm alive, and filled with goo…" Zim's voice quivered. "Ahem. I need schematics to create a duplicate PAK."

"Why do you need a duplicate?"

"No time to explain."

"Okay." 777 smiiled. "Here ya go."

"HEY!" Zim pointed at Dib. "How can your computer translate Irken?"

"Tak's Ship."

"Right…" Zim nodded. "Zim still doesn't understand why you're helping him…"

Dib sighed. "So, how long do you think it'll take to make a duplicate?"

"Well, it'll be very tough, but I'm sure we can do it in a cycle."

"Would it take longer?"

"If the parts are able to be retrieved easily, no."

Dib blinked. "Wait, I bet my dad can help! He's seen your PAK before."

"Where's your dad anyway?" Zim asked.

"Dunno. I think he's working."

"Hmm… I need to go scavenge for stuff at my base."

"And weren't you going to get GIR?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Yeah." Zim nodded.

xxx

"My Tallest... That word you said... It means more than hate." Rarl approached Red.

Red glared at Rarl. "And? What does it mean?"

"Well... it means..."

...

"That's wrong!" Red complained.

Purple barfed on his donuts.

"When'd you come out?"

"Just now. You said that word?"

Red rolled his eyes. "Just sit down Purple."

Purple returned to his quarters.

"Fuck."

_So, It's the same day, just not same night XD. Hope you're liking it so far, I'm having fun writing it. It'll still be a while until ZaDr comes into effect, so if that's all you're reading this for, sorry. Gotta be patient. :D I'll try to update about twice a week, so yeah... :D_


	4. Expatriate

_**Some RaPr snuck itself into this chapter… XD I own nothing, Vasquez owns all.**_

_"I love you, cold, unfeeling robot arm."_

"GIR?"

Nothing from the robot.

"GIR? Are you…" Zim gently kicked the robot's body.

The robot didn't stir.

"Shame…" Zim picked up the robot. "I'm sure I can fix you." He extended his spider legs from his PAK and walked around the debris, picking up a random object every once in a while. He approached his computer's main screen and looked at it. He looked all around and sighed. "There has to be a way to get all this stuff back on line."

"You're not allowed to use it." Dib walked up, taking GIR from Zim.

"Zim does not care. Once the Tallest are tricked into believing I am dead, it won't matter." Zim shrugged, observing another random object. "Hey, this is one of those super weapons I got. Heheh…"

Dib remembered. "Yeah, through the meeting I set up."

"Huh?" Zim looked at Dib. "Serioulsy, how did you know to meet there?"

Dib facepalmed himself. "Zim… I set it up."

"Riiiiight." Zim nodded. "Must be one of your special powers from your extremely large head."

Dib growled. "Zim… I'm trying to help you, and you're insulting me?"

"Old habits die hard, Dib-meat."

Dib sighed. "Yeah, I suppose they do."

"Dib-stink. Help me carry some stuff."

Dib nodded and began picking up stuff that looked in working order.

Zim side glanced Dib. "Why was Mr. Presidentman chosen to lead Earth?"

Dib shook his head. "Not Earth, just the USA."

"Oh. Okay."

"And the people voted him in."

"Oh, really?" Zim asked.

"Yep. Hey, you need this?" Dib picked up a brownish-purple ball. "Wasn't this… Minimoose?"

"Hey, that's Minimoose!"

"I just asked that…" Dib relinquished Minimoose.

"Well, it _was_. It's in disrepair, along with GIR and everything else…" Zim looked into one of the eye-sockets of Minimoose.

"When will that Voot Runner be here?"

Zim looked at Dib after putting away the remains of Minimoose. "Cruiser, and probably in a day or so."

"Ah…" Dib nodded. "Okay. Will it have everything you'll need for the PAK?"

Zim shook his head. "No, which is why Zim is scavenging here."

"Do you think Earth has any supplies you might need?"

"Dunno." Zim shrugged, one of his spider legs knocking over a pile of junk. "Hey, this'll be good."

Dib watched as Zim put away what looked like a motherboard for a computer. "What's that?"

"Eh? Nothing." Zim shook his head, then dug around some more.

"So, how do you think we can get your base up and running again?"

"Dunno. Will have to find all the corroded and fried stuff and replace it." Zim shrugged. "No big problem though. As a smeet, Zim could put together the equivalent of your Earth super-computers."

"When you were a smeet, computers were just being refined."

"Exactly."

"So back then, it wasn't very super."

"You question ZIM?" Zim growled, glaring at Dib.

"No, I'm just telling you. You're history of Earth isn't that accurate."

Zim rolled his eyes and continued rummaging.

Dib kicked a can aside, looking on the ground. "Hey, what's this?" Dib picked up a large screw of sorts.

"That's Zim's happiness-probe! Any human worm baby it's inserted into will be insanely happy for no apparent reason." Zim smiled, taking the probe, putting it away.

"Hey, what happened to make this place in such disrepair?" Dib asked, picking up a dried up taco. "And is this a taco?"

"GIR…" Zim sighed.

"Oh." Dib dropped the taco.

"Well, when Zim's PAK began to malfunction, Zim's PAK could only function when connected to the main computer. Human scum began ransacking Zim's base, first destroying Zim's gnomes, then taking and destroying what ever they could. While Zim couldn't move around freely, Zim could hide, and so I did, hiding from the thieves. Before they left, the base was in such disrepair that I alone could not fix it. In a last effort to protect the Irken technology housed within these walls the Computer attacked the attackers, killing them, before shutting down to prevent further damage…"

Dib heard something crunch under his feet, then looked down. "Explains the skeleton hand I just stepped on." He shuddered.

"Yes." Zim nodded. "The computer then quit working, and my PAK could only draw enough power to keep me alive… I stayed here for four years, unsure as to what to do."

"Then I came along and found you."

"Yes." Zim nodded. "I think we've got enough stuff for now. Let us go back to your home."

Dib nodded and led the way out.

xxx

The duo put everything the collected on the floor in Dib's room, sorting everything into piles that Zim established. Only a few items made it into the PAK pile – Most of the items turned out to not be very useful at all.

Zim sat and stared at the Irken technology askew on Dib's floor.

Dib sat at the computer, typing.

"Nothing here will help GIR."

"Let's just attach him to some power and see what happens."

Zim picked up GIR's lifeless body and nodded. "Okay, Dib-stink."

Dib rolled his eyes, attaching a cable inside GIR's head.

xxx

_"Nothing."_

_ "Try more power."_

_ "I don't want to fry it."_

_ "Just do it! Zim commands you!"_

_ "Zim, commanding me won't make me do anything."_

_ "If that is the case, then why did you just do it?"_

_ "I dunno."_

_ Master? Master? Is that you?_

_ "Hey, maybe parts of his wiring are missing, check that."_

_ "Zim just did, it all seems fine!"_

_ "Then maybe a new CPU is in order?"_

_ "A new what?"_

_ "Central Processing Unit, what are those called in Irken?"_

_ "The brain-chip."_

_ "Oh, okay. A new brain-chip?"_

_ "No, the current one seems okay."_

_ Master, why can't I move? And why is the big-headed boy here?_

_ Master's eyes enlarged as he looked into my eyes._

_ Master, what's going on? I wanna taco!_

_ "Hit it."_

_ "Huh?" Master's head snapped towards the Dib-boy._

_ "Hit it. Sometimes that's what technology needs." Greasy-headed boy said. "Or offer it a taco?"_

_ Master looked back at me. He raised his hand._

xxx

"Damn it Dib-shit!" Zim growled at Dib. "You caused Zim to break GIR!"

"No I didn't! Look!" Dib growled.

Zim looked back at GIR.

"I WANNA TACO!" GIR shrieked. "Master! Why can't I move?"

"Hey! It worked! I told you it would work." Zim gloated.

Dib rolled his eyes and turned back to the computer. "CPU- I mean brain-chip – is working at twenty-two percent. He needs a new chip."

"But the chippy is my brainy!" GIR retorted. "I need it!"

"Yes, but you need a new one too."

"Can I have both?"

"No." Zim shook his head. "Maybe it'll fix your flaws."

"Buts I like my flaws. They flawy!" GIR moved his head. "I can move my head!" He rolled onto the floor. "Hey floor! Did you make my sammich yet?"

"Memory seems to work well." Zim muttered. "GIR! Duty mode!"

"Yes Master!" GIR's eyes flashed red, although he stayed still on the floor. "Heheheh… Duty… I can't move my body!" His eyes turned blue again.

"Still twenty two percent."

"Well, we don't have a brain-chip, do we?" Zim growled. "Eh, oh well."

"I've got another CPU we could use." Dib offered.

"No, none of your Earthen-crud."

"My 'Earthen-crud' fixed your PAK, Zim." Dib growled.

"Oh fine. Gimme the brain-chip."

Dib relinquished the CPU to Zim, and Zim installed it into GIR's head.

GIR jerked around, then jumped up. "I can move!"

Zim smirked.

GIR fell onto his face, all the blue turning a dark grey.

Zim's smirk disappeared. "What happened?"

"I don't know. It looks like he was incompatible with the chip." Dib looked at GIR.

Zim growled. "You did this Dib-shit!"

"Damn it, Zim, I didn't do that! I'm not trying to sabotage you any-"

"Yes you did!" Zim tackled Dib, pulling him onto the floor from the computer chair.

"Zim! Stop!" Dib growled, throwing him off.

Zim growled and ran onto Dib again, punching and scratching.

"Zim damn it! Stop!" He pinned Zim down to the ground. "Calm down Zim. We'll get your robot around again, calm down."

Zim continued to kick Dib's abdomen. "LET ME GO FILTHY HUMAN!"

Dib sighed. "Only after you calm down."

"LET ZIM GO!" Zim attempted to bite Dib.

Dib withdrew. "You know that's a bad idea."

Zim smirked. "I overpowered you."

Dib tackled Zim and pinned him down again. "No you didn't."

Zim growled, ejecting his spider-legs and shoving Dib off of him. "Yes I did." Zim stood up on his spider-legs and walked up to Dib, shadowing over him. "Now, you fix GIR, or you don't live."

"I'll have to get some more CPU's first Zim, so you'll just have to wait." Dib smirked. "Just calm down."

"Zim will go get these… CPU's… himself!" Zim turned on the legs and began to leave, going down the stairs into the living room.

Dib followed, annoyed. "Zim, it's raining, you can't go."

Zim looked out the window and saw the water falling. "Hmm… then you will give Zim your PASTE!" Zim turned to Dib.

"Paste? What for?"

"Paste protects from the water." Zim growled. "Thought you knew that with such a big head of yours."

Dib growled. "You know what? Fuck you Zim! I'm trying to help you, and all you've been doing is accusing me and insulting me!" Dib grabbed Zim off of his spider-legs. "I'm not going to house an expatriate if he's going to be a jerk to me, get the fuck out of my house!" Dib opened the door and threw the alien outside, then tossed him a black trash bag.

"Wait, Dib!" Zim ran back to the door, his skin sizzling. "Let me in! Please!"

"Go away, Zim." Dib shut the door in Zim's face.

"But it's wet out here!" Zim pounded on the door.

"Use the trash bag, dumb ass." Dib's voice faded.

Zim continued pounding on the door. "Dib!" He looked at the trash bag, laying folded on the side walk. He opened it and covered himself in it. "Well… It does keep the water off…" Zim sighed and walked around to the side of the house, where the roof blocked some rain, and sat down in what was remaining of dry grass.

xxx

"Pur, come on. Quit being so difficult and come on out."

"Go away Red!" Purple shouted from behind the locked door.

"Purple… You know, Zim could use a pummeling."

"You can do that yourself."

Red's head hit the door as he sighed. "Fuck…"

"AND STOP SAYING THAT WORD!" Purple yelled, his voice cracking.

"Fu…" Red barely stopped himself. "What about a puppet show about how we destroy Zim?"

"No. Stop trying to appease me. I'm not coming out. I'm a horrible leader, and it's because of you, not Zim. How's about a puppet show about you getting pummeled? Huh?" Purple asked, irked. "I thought so."

Red growled. "Fuck you Purple. Fuck you."

Purple opened the door in an instant. "What?"

Red's face grew warm. "Um…"

"Did you just… Oh my god Red!" Purple's hands flew up in the air. "What has this empire come to?"

"Purple, I didn't mean it that way! Honest!"

"Oh, so you ment it in the hate way, right?" Purple's face grew close to Red's, his eyes narrowed. "Say it."

"Yes, I did." Red's eyes narrowed also.

The workers on the ship watched the duo argue.

"You know, maybe Zim was right. Maybe you are a bad leader Purple."

Purple's eyes widened and he gasped. "What! You agree with him?"

"Well, you did, so why not?" Red growled.

"In the hate way, FUCK YOU!" Purple's fingers wrapped around Red's neck.

Red scratched at Purple, throwing him off. "Get off of me Purple! Look at yourself! Look at us! We're fighting!"

"Yeah, and guess what Tallest Red!"

Red drew back. He knew what was coming. "No, don't you dare say it Purple…"

"I quit being Tallest!" Purple yelled in Red's face.

"Purple, you can't stop being Tallest! You're the same height as me!"

Purple glared at Red. Quickly, he spat, "Not if I chop off my feet."

"What? Oh my god Purple…" Red sighed. "Look, you're still the Tallest. Alongside me."

Purple began searching the ship. "Gimme something to chop off my feet!"

Red tackled Purple onto the ground. "You're not chopping anything off."

Purple stared at Red. "Okay… Just let me up."

The workers continued to watch.

Red's antennae fell onto Purple. "Tell me you're not going to do anything drastic."

Purple visibly shuddered. "I'm n-not going to do anything drastic." His antennae instinctively twitched itself closer to Red's.

Red jumped from the shock when the duo's antennae touched. "Okay." He stood up off of Purple.

"But who said I was going to listen to you?" Purple growled, sporting a smirk as he stood up and quickly floated towards his quarters again.

"Purple…" Red growled, glaring at Purple.

Purple smirked and shut the door behind him.

Red rolled his eyes and looked at the workers. "What are you staring at?"

The workers averted their stares back to their work.

Red sighed and headed towards Purple's quarters. "Purple, come on out, please?"

"This again Red?" Purple asked.

Red opened the door. "Come on out." He floated inside, shutting the door behind him.

xxx

Zim stared at the black trash bag covering his body. He thought back to when he was a smeet, meeting what he considered his parental unit.

_"I love you, cold, unfeeling robot arm."_

"That was my first sign of a defect." Zim realized. "I've been a defect since birth."


	5. Mea Culpa

_**I'm sorry I haven't updated about twice a week, massive writer's block for this chapter… But tell you what, I've got two chapters I can post today, so will that make up for the wait? Probably the most OOC-ness is contained in most of this chapter. RaPr and ZaDr are both fanon, for neither would ever happen, and even if they could, they never will. IZ won't be finished. :( I think those will be the only pairings I maintain in this story, though ZaDr still has yet to be introduced :D. Jhonen Vasquez owns all, even though he'd probably dislike the pairings XD.**_

_**Lovegirl1: Yeah... They'll smooth out eventually XD Since you like both, this story is for you. Just... as soon as... both pairs get... going. ^_^'**_

Zim rested his back against the side of Dib's house, unable to go anywhere because he couldn't see for the trash bag protecting him from the water. He sighed, bored, and even though he would never admit it, lonely. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to think of a way to break back into Dib's house. The rain seemed endless as it continued to pour.

"Ah! What was that!" Zim jumped up when he heard a loud boom. "Must've been thunder…" He slid down onto the ground. "It's cold…" Zim closed his eyes again. "The Tallest betrayed me, I betrayed my planet… No, this is my planet now. This horrible, cold dirt ball covered in water." Zim's foot stomped the ground. "This is my… home…" Zim missed Irk, he missed reporting to the Tallest, and he even missed GIR.

"Hey, space-boy."

Zim jumped, opening his eyes. He realized the water wasn't hitting the bag anymore. "Dib?"

"Zim, come back in." Dib removed the bag off of Zim.

"No! My bag! The water!" Zim grabbed at the bag.

"It's okay. I have an umbrella." Dib said, tossing the bag away.

Zim stood up and looked up at Dib. "What, are you going to torment Zim for insulting you?"

Dib shook his head. "Come back inside." Dib grabbed Zim's hand and pulled him into the house again.

Zim stared at Dib's hand wrapped around his own for a few seconds, then yanked his away quickly.

"What?" Dib asked.

Zim looked at his hand. "Nothing." He turned and marched up the stairs. "I'm going to repair GIR."

"I didn't get the CPU's yet Zim." Dib called after him.

Zim stopped and growled. "Fine. I'm going to begin a new Memory Drive."

"A what?" Dib stood at the foot of the stairs.

"A Memory Drive, Zim's Zim-ness."

"Oh, for your PAK."

Zim nodded.

"Do you need me to help?" Dib asked.

"I want to be alone." Zim slammed Dib's door shut.

Dib blinked. "Okay…" He sat down on the couch and flipped through channels, suddenly bored.

xxx

Dib felt a cringe in his neck, and he groaned, rubbing it. "Shit…" He sat up, then jumped when he felt his head hit something. He opened his eyes and fell backwards, his head hitting the arm of the couch. "Shit! Zim, you can't do that!"

Zim stood over Dib, staring intently at him.

"Zim? Are you okay?"

"Zim is okay!" He howled. He stared intently at Dib again.

"Okay… can I get up?"

"Zim… Requires your assistance." Zim seemed ashamed to ask for help.

Dib roiled his brows, smirking. "Zim? You need help? An Irken In-"

The shame quickly changed to pain as Dib started to say Invader.

"Shit, Zim, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'll help."

Zim nodded, then jumped off the couch.

Dib noticed that Zim's stride lacked the confidence it once had. He used to proudly march around. Now, he drags his feet, seeming to always be ashamed of himself. He jumped off the couch and followed Zim up into his bedroom. "Hey, Zim." Dib rested his hand on Zim's shoulder.

Zim stared at the hand.

"Is there something you want to talk about?"

Zim shook his shoulder out of under Dib's hand and shook his head. "No." He marched into Dib's room.

"I WANNA TAQUITO!" GIR shrieked.

"Hey, GIR's… somewhat working."

Zim nodded. "Yeah. GIR! Shut up!"

"TAQUITO!" GIR continued shrieking.

Zim sighed and disconnected the power cable from GIR, causing the robot to go into a slumber once more.

"How long was I asleep?" He looked at the clock.

"Several hours." Zim began working on the silver box again.

"So is that going to be your Memory-Drive?"

"Yep. But it's so small… The capacity is much too small for Zim's needs."

"How big is it?"

"Five-hundred Gigabytes."

"Five-hund… Zim! That's my hard-drive!"

Zim looked up at Dib. "It was laying around."

"I was going to use… Nevermind. Go ahead." Dib sighed.

Zim tossed it aside. His face showed the pain he felt earlier when Dib almost called him an Invader.

"Zim, it's okay."

Zim shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

"M… Mea… Culpa." The words seemed to hurt as Zim said them.

"Mea Culpa?" Dib's ears didn't register quickly enough what Zim said.

"I'm… Sorry. Dib. For the things I've said to you, for how I've treated you, even though you've been helping me."

Dib blinked. "Well, as you've said before, old habits die hard. I don't mean to make you upset, Zim, but from how long I've known you, being an Irken Invader apparently meant no mercy. So I shouldn't have gotten upset at you. I should've known that's how you were going to be."

"Zim was never an Invader… Zim has always been a Defect."

"What? How do you know that?" Dib stared at Zim. "How are you a Defect? You're just different from the normal Irkens."

Zim's eyes showed all the pain in the world when they looked into Dib's. "Irkens don't feel love."

Dib roiled his brows. "I don't understand."

"The day Zim was born in the birthing facility… I hugged the robot-arm that birthed me. I told it I loved it."

Dib sat silently, watching Zim as he stared at the floor. _Apparently it really hurts Zim to feel different._ Dib thought to himself.

"What's the largest capacity memory-drive I could get?" Zim changed the subject.

Dib blinked, then turned to his computer. "Computer?"

"Well, it seems that 4 terabytes is the largest available as one disk."

"Zim, the problem is that wouldn't be good either for you."

"How so?"

Dib winced. "Um… Oh man…" He picked up a small hard drive out of a desk. "This is 20 gigs, using the current format."

Zim blinked. "And?"

"Computer, read the info on the drive." Dib connected it to the computer.

"Disk is empty."

Dib disconnected it.

Zim was still confused.

Dib cringed again. "Good thing I have more of these…" He threw it on the ground.

"Why are you mad at it?"

"I'm not… I'm showing you something." Dib picked it up. "Read it again."

"Disk is corrupt. Unable to read."

Zim's eyes widened. "Just from hitting it?"

Dib nodded. "No matter how big you can get, it won't do you any good. Any bad hit, and your memory will be wiped."

Zim sighed. "Fuck!" He stared at the five-hundred gigabyte one. "Did I corrupt that one?"

"I doubt it. You didn't throw it hard." Dib stood up and picked it up. "Read the disk." Dib connected it to the computer.

The computer wirred, but didn't say anything.

"Computer?" Dib asked.

"Disk unable to be read, incorrect format."

Zim's antennae dropped.

"No, it's probably where you modified it Zim. It should be okay. Computer, reformat the disk."

"Reformatting."

Zim sighed. "Where can I get a memory drive?"

Dib looked at Zim. "Hey…"

Zim looked up. "What?"

"Tak's ship!" Dib jumped up.

"What about it?"

"It has a memory drive, doesn't it?"

Zim jumped up. "It does!" Zim ran past Dib down the stairs.

Dib followed Zim, eventually leading the way to the garage.

"What are you two doing?" Gaz asked, having followed.

"Zim can now build a PAK!" Zim began opening panels on the ship, searching for the memory drive.

"We're trying to create a new PAK for Zim."

"Why? Doesn't his work?"

"Yeah, but the Irken Empire kind of wants it back…"

Gaz looked at Zim. "What'd he do?"

"Cussed out his leaders."

Gaz opened her eyes in astonishment. She then turned and walked away. "I guess he's cool."

Dib smiled. "You're even rubbing off on Gaz Zim."

"Zim has not been rubbing Gaz." Zim looked up at Dib.

"No, not that. I mean she's taking a liking to you. She just said you're cool."

"Oh." Zim turned back to the ship. "Found it!" He disconnected it from the ship and held it up. "Yes… Perfect…"

Dib smiled.

Zim began talking about how he was going to build the PAK, pointing at different parts of the drive.

Dib didn't take in a word Zim said. He stared at Zim's eyes, then his lips.

"Dib?" Zim asked.

Dib continued to stare, his thoughts wandering.

"Dib? Are you okay?" Zim asked again.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Dib blinked and looked away.

"You… You were staring at Zim." Zim said.

"N-no, I was… looking at the ship."

Zim looked behind him at the ship. "Okay." Zim shrugged. "Let's go build!"

"Zim, I have to make dinner, it's six. Um… Do you want me to make you anything?"

Zim walked past Dib into the kitchen. "Zim is okay."

"Are you sure? I know you can't eat much Earth food, but was there anything you could eat?"

"Well… Waffles. But GIR put soap in them, so they made Zim sick." Zim shrugged, setting the drive on the table.

Dib shut the garage door. "I remember about the waffles!" Dib smiled.

Zim roiled his brows. "How? You weren't in Zim's home!"

Dib rubbed his neck. "I… Kinda asked GIR to put a camera in your kitchen so I could spy on you."

Zim's eyes went blank. "Oh."

"Yeah… but the squid-monster-thing kinda destroyed it. So… Yeah."

Zim blinked. "Okay... Waffles then." He took the drive and stared for Dib's room.

"Okay." Dib nodded.

_Hmm… ZaDr is starting to sneak itself into here :D As for the hard drive thingy, I don't know how fragile they really are – I doubt they're that fragile because I've dropped my Ezio III (iPod) many a time, but he still lives. So for the sake of pushing the story along, they are in here. XD_


	6. Friend

_**None belongs to me. As I promised in Chapter 5, here's the second chapter for today. I've got a couple of chapters in the works, along with a random story somehow inspired by a Nightwish song. That'll be a one-shot for sure. Just a long one XD. I'll update on it when I can.**_

**_Lovegirl1: Thanks! Hopefully as the story moves along I'll get more reviews, but I'm not going to hold a story hostage with a review-criteria. Never have XD_**

**_Speaking of reviews: Reviews are magical, y'know? They let the author know if it's worth continuing/where she should work on etc. I'm not going to kill the story for a lack of reviews (because that'd kill the fun for me), but I would appreciate any feedback, even if it is: Update soon - That lets me know someone's waiting for more :D_**

"Zim, they're done." Dib opened his door.

Zim looked at Dib. "Okay. I'll come eat after you and Gaz eat."

"Why?" Dib roiled his brows.

"I don't want to see the food you two eat." Zim's eyes darkened in the thought.

Dib laughed. "We're eating waffles too."

Zim looked at Dib, confused as to why he was laughing. "Okay…"

"So come eat with us." Dib said, walking away.

Zim stood up and walked down the stairs and through the living room. He smelled the waffles, and they smelled nothing like GIR made before. He sat down at the table, and Dib put a plate in front of him.

"Now, let me know if there's anything I should change about them, or whatever. I don't know if you can eat these or not." Dib said, wearing an apron.

Zim stared at Dib, about to insult the apron, but he bit his tongue. He poked the waffles with his fork, then took a bite. He chewed them slowly, examining them. After a few minutes, he swallowed them, then waited. "I'm okay. They're okay."

Dib smiled. "Okay, great."

Zim began eating the waffles as Gaz got a plate and Dib got a plate.

"So, how long will he be living with us Dib?" Gaz asked, sitting down with her plate.

"Until his base is in working order again, and that won't be for a month or so…" Dib said, taking off the apron and sitting down at the table.

"Oh, okay… As long as he doesn't hog the TV… I guess…" Gaz bit into the waffles.

Dib looked at Zim, who was heartily eating the waffles. "Are they good?"

Zim nodded.

Dib stared at Zim, watching as the alien eyed his own food, chewing the waffles.

"Dib? Are you okay?" Zim looked at Dib and asked.

Dib stood up quickly. "I'll be back." He ran towards the bathroom, slamming the door shut. He stared at himself in the mirror, smacking his cheeks. "Why? Why are you thinking that?" He blinked. "Regardless if he's now your… friend… he's an alien…"

xxx

"What's wrong with him?" Zim asked.

Gaz shrugged. "I dunno. He's been acting weird since you started staying here."

"He doesn't trust me?" Zim asked, his antennae falling. "He's probably poisoned these!" He threw the waffles across the table.

Gaz shook her head as the robot came out and cleaned up the mess. "No, he didn't. I… I think Dib… Likes you."

Zim roiled his brows, feeling bad for throwing the waffles.

"When he kicked you out earlier, he was rampaging around the house, saying how horrible he was, pretty mad at himself. Apparently he felt horrible for kicking you out. I think he like-likes you."

Zim roiled his brows even more. "How so? I don't understand."

Gaz sighed. "You're as dumb as my brother sometimes." She stood up and put her plate in the sink, walking out of the kitchen.

Zim stared at the table, then decided to go find Dib. He stood up and walked towards the stairs, then stopped, hearing Dib in the bathroom. He stood next to the door, listening.

"You can't think that way Dib… He's Irken, an alien. He won't feel the same way. He'd probably be as disgusted as you are."

"Dib? Are you okay?" Zim asked.

Dib cursed, quickly opening the door. "Y-yeah."

"Um… Zim can leave if you want him to."

"No no no no, you didn't do anything wrong." Dib blinked. "You heard me… didn't you?"

Zim nodded. "What would I be disgusted about?"

"Nothing." He walked past Zim and up the stairs.

Zim roiled his brows and followed.

"Look, Zim. I've got Hi Skool tomorrow, so I can't stay up all night working on your memory drive. I need to go to bed." He opened his door and stared at his room. "Oh shit… My room's a mess."

Zim extended his spider legs and began walking around the room, cleaning up the Irken stuff.

"No, Zim, I can do it."

"It's my mess, Dib. Let me clean it up." Zim ignored Dib and continued cleaning it up.

Dib shrugged. "Alright. I'm going to ask Gaz if I can borrow her futon so you can have a place to sleep tonight." He left the room.

Zim finished cleaning up the Irken stuff, then looked around the room. He looked at GIR. "GIR... I... I sorta miss you."

"Zim," Dib peeked into the room. "She's using it, so I can't borrow it from her. I have extra bedding I can let you use if you want. I don't' know what your sleeping arrangements would normally be, but it's in my closet. I need to take a shower, so I'll be back." He grabbed some clothing and walked out of the room.

Zim looked in the closet, grabbed a couple of blankets and a pillow. He found a spot at the foot of Dib's bed and made a makeshift bed of his own. He connected his PAK to the computer to charge, then laid down.

xxx

_ About an hour later, Zim heard the door open, and Dib walk into the room._

_ "Zim… are you still awake?" Dib whispered._

_ Zim didn't respond, feeling it would be easier if he didn't respond._

_ "Okay…" He whispered, clambering around in the dark. Eventually he sat down on his bed. "I wonder where he's sleeping anyway…" Dib decided to use the light of his cellphone to look for Zim. He checked at the foot of his bed, and saw Zim's eye reflect the light._

_ "Oh, you're awake?" Dib asked._

_ Zim nodded._

_ "Sorry."_

_ "It's okay." Zim closed his eye._

_ "Are you okay?"_

_ Zim nodded again._

_ "Okay. Need anything?"_

_ He shook his head._

_ "Alright. G'nite." Dib closed his phone._

_ "Dib." Zim said after a minute._

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "Your sister earlier told me that you felt horrible for kicking me out."_

_ Dib didn't say anything._

_ "Is that true?"_

_ "Yeah. I shouldn't have kicked you out."_

_ "Why did you feel so bad?"_

_ "That was cruel of me to kick you out when it was raining."_

_ "So? I've been cruel to you."_

_ "I…"_

_ "She also said you've been acting weird since I've started staying here."_

_ "Really? How so?"_

_ "She thinks… that you… like me."_

_ Dib didn't say anything._

_ "What did she mean?"_

_ "I thinks she meant that I… I want to be your friend."_

_ "Friend?"_

_ "Yeah, like Keef was."_

_ "Keef was annoying."_

_ "Not how he was, but… Your friend. Not clingy or anything like that."_

_ Zim blinked._

_ "Like I said before, I'm tired of fighting you, and quite frankly, I've enjoyed the past two days. So… if we could be friends?"_

_ Zim didn't say anything for a minute._

_ "But, it's okay if you don't want-"_

_ "I would like to be your friend." Zim said._

_ Dib stopped. "Really? All the shit in the past is behind us?"_

_ Zim nodded. "Yeah."_

xxx

"Zim? Zim, you're talking in your sleep."

Zim jumped up. "What? Huh?"

"Zim, you were talking in your sleep."

"I was?" Zim stood up. "Why are you dressed?"

"I've got school today, remember?"

"I slept the whole night?"

"Yep." Dib nodded. "You want to come with me?"

Zim shook his head. "I need to work on the memory drive."

Dib nodded. "Okay." He stood up and grabbed his back pack.

"Hey, Dib."

"Hmm?" Dib turned to Zim.

"What was I talking about?"

Dib stared at Zim, eventually shrugging. "I dunno. I couldn't make out all of what you were saying. Something about "friend" though." Dib turned and left the room.

Zim looked at the memory drive taken from Tak's ship. "Friend…"

"Hey. Zim."

Zim turned towards the door. "Hi Gaz."

"Look. You need to confront Dib about what's going on. He's been weirder than normal, and it's annoying me." Gaz left the room.

Zim blinked. He turned to the computer and began searching on Google. "If I'm a... Then..."

_Anyone smell ZaDr coming up? :D_


	7. Confess

**_PLEASE SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR EDIT INFO_**

_**Here we go, what I'm sure some have been waiting for. :D I actually intended on this to be chapter 8, but I rethought as I rewrote this chapter and decided for the plot, it had to come first. RaPr next chappy! ;D**_

"Zim? I'm home." Dib called as he shut the door behind him, throwing his keys onto the kitchen counter. He didn't hear Zim stirring, so he decided to call again, "Zim?"

Nothing.

"Hmm…" Dib started towards the living room. He stopped and stared at the sofa.

"Hey son."

Dib blinked. "Dad? Why are you back so soon?" Dib smiled, happy to see his dad wasn't working for once.

Professor Membrane stood up from the couch. "I was able to get some time off. Is Zim your foreign green friend?"

"Yeah, I've told you his name before." Dib nodded, wondering what Zim was doing.

"Ah. Well he's up in your room. Dunno what he's doing." Membrane shrugged. "How's about we go out for dinner tonight?" Membrane smiled at Dib.

"Eh, not a good idea tonight Dad. Zim isn't accustomed to the American food, so he'll get sick eating it." Dib nearly winced, feeling guilty for turning down Family Night. He walked past the TV and started up the stairs. "And Zim's staying with me for a while because his house is being repaired." He hoped his dad would be okay with it. _He's never home anyway, why should it bother?_

"Oh, well, okay." Membrane shrugged, not even phased by his son's rejection.

"Alright, well I'll catch up with you later Dad." Dib smiled at his dad and continued going up the stairs. He sighed to himself, "Crisis averted," opened his door and saw Zim staring intently at the computer. "Did my dad see you out of your disguise?"

Zim shook his head.

"Okay. Do you have your disguise?"

He shook his head again.

Dib sighed. "Did it get destroyed?"

Zim nodded, still staring.

"What are you staring at?" Dib looked at the computer screen.

"Nothing. Dib-stink." Zim closed the window and looked at Dib. "Your sister, the Gaz-Monster…"

"The only sister I have." Dib said as he tossed his heavy book bag on his bed.

"She said you've been acting weird."

Dib looked at Zim. "Weird how?"

"I don't know, that's what I intend on asking you. Is there something you want to tell me Dib-stink?" He turned the chair towards Dib, folding his arms. _You shouldn't fold your arms, it's a sign of defense, and he's taller than you. He's not Irken – he's human. It doesn't matter about height._

Dib shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What was it with you running to the bathroom?" Zim stood up on his spider legs, unfolding his arms.

Dib sat down on his bed, staring at Zim.

Zim shut the door. "What is wrong with you? What is it you are hiding from ZIM!" He drew in close to Dib, his inches away from Dib's.

"Zim… look… Please don't feel offended by… anything I say."

Zim's eyes narrowed.

"I…" Dib licked his lips nervously. His eyes darted around.

"CONFESS ALREADY!" Zim commanded.

Dib closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He grabbed Zim's head and closed the gap, kissing the alien.

Zim stared for a second, then withdrew, screaming.

Dib looked startled and broken. "Zim! I'm sorry! I shouldn't-"

"Burning! My skin burns!" Zim screeched as he peeled at his steaming lips.

Dib felt offended, and he lowered his head, his face growing pale.

Zim glared at Dib, his lips swollen. "What was that? How dare you attack Zim with your filthy water?"

Dib looked up quickly. "Shit… I…. I forgot Zim."

Zim continued to glare at Dib.

"Look… I… I really like you. And… I…"

"Did you forget that Irkens don't feel love?" Zim growled, turning away. "You want Zim to love you, but he is unable to feel love."

Dib stared at Zim. "You knew?"

"Of course I knew. You're pitiful sometimes Dib." Zim quickly turned back, his eyes beginning to burn a hole in Dib. "Zim cannot feel love. So forget your feelings for Zim." He turned around on the PAK legs once again.

"No, Zim. I won't."

Zim turned towards Dib again, this time slower. His glare did not ease though.

"Look at me. The past four years were nearly torture, because I was so accustomed to you tormenting me. And… I missed it. I missed interacting with you."

"To the point you've taken a liking to Zim." Zim growled.

"Just listen to me. You've seen the stuff I've been through. You were the main cause of that. But… Here I am. Here you are." Dib stood up to try to even their heights.

Zim still won the height advantage with his PAK legs. "Yes. Here I am. Living in my ex-enemy's home, requesting help from him because Zim amounts to nothing to the Tallest." Zim's upper lip twitched.

"They're no Tallest of yours, you've said that already, stick to what you say Zim." Dib said, exasperated.

Zim glared.

"I know you don't trust me fully yet. But please… Trust me on this. I think this could help us. Especially you." Dib walked up to Zim.

"How will it help me?" Zim backed away a little bit.

"You _can_ feel love." Dib poked Zim where his heart would be if he were human. "You said it before."

Zim shot the nastiest look he could at Dib. "How dare you-"

"And, I know it hurts to be different. Everyone laughed at me, made fun of me. Even you did. But, perhaps being different isn't so bad. Perhaps you are greater than the Irkens, because you're different. Because you _can_ feel _love_."

Zim's glare lessened slightly as he stared at Dib. "You're human. I'm Irken."

"You revoked your Irken citizenship."

"If you revoke your citizenship as American, you're still human. My blood marches as Irken."

"So?" Dib asked.

"Look at us." Zim grabbed Dib's hand. He slid a glove off his own hand, revealing his green hand for the first time to Dib. "We're too different."

Dib grasped Zim's hand and wrapped his fingers around. "It's okay."

Zim ripped his hand away, returning the glove to his hand. "No, it's not."

Dib sighed, giving up. "Alright, fine. I give up Zim."

Zim smirked in victory.

Dib walked around Zim towards the door.

"Why is it you feel… Love, for Zim?" Zim asked, turning his head to follow Dib.

Dib turned to Zim. "I don't know." He looked broken, and turned away, opening the door and leaving the room.

Zim stared at Dib as he left. He retracted his PAK legs and sat down at the computer. "There has to be a way to overcome my reaction to water…" He began typing on the computer.

xxx

Dib opened the door and walked into his room. He tossed his dirty clothing into the clothes hamper, ignoring the fact that the light was off. He sighed, shutting the door and walked over to his bed and sat down. He assumed Zim had gone to sleep, so he didn't bother with talking. He pulled the cover over him as he laid down. "Zim…" He muttered out loud, wondering if he was awake. "If you're awake, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted on my feelings." He closed his eyes, but a few moments later, opened them, feeling shifting around on his bed. He looked around, rolling onto his back. "Zim?"

Zim's face appeared in front of Dib's as he lowered himself on the PAK legs.

Dib blinked, staring at Zim.

"Suppose Zim accepts your love-pig offer…"

Dib roiled his brows. "What do you mean?"

Zim grabbed Dib and kissed him roughly, ignoring the fact that his teeth were probably cutting Dib's lips.

That of which they were. "Shit, Zim! That hurts." Dib pushed him away and licked at his lip. "I'm bleeding."

Zim smirked. "Just shut up Dib and return my affections." He kissed Dib again.

Dib obeyed this time, kissing back. He began to lose himself in his feelings as the Irken lowered himself, now laying on top of the human.

Zim seemed awkward and unsure as he tried to grab Dib. First his hands rested on Dib's chest, then they gripped his arms, then they gripped his neck.

Dib also showed awkwardness as he fumbled to avoid the alien's PAK. He remembered in his haze that Zim had antennae, and gently touched them, rubbing them.

Zim moaned and pulled away, startled.

"You feel it… Don't you?" Dib asked, the slight taste of blood on his tongue.

"I feel what?" Zim asked.

Dib gently grabbed Zim's antennae again, gently stroking them. "It feels good, doesn't it?"

Zim's eyes rolled into his head as he gasped. "N-not too rough, Dib…"

Dib smiled. "Kiss me."

Zim obeyed, kissing Dib deeply. He scratched at Dib's chest, startling the human as he tore open the human's pajama top.

"Zim…" Dib moaned. "D-don't stop…"

Zim nibbled on Dib's lips, reaching around the human's chest and scratching at his back.

"My god Zim…" Dib arched towards the alien, his hands free of his antennae.

"Keep… touching… them." Zim muttered in between kisses and nibbles.

Dib, having the height advantage, drew himself up and took one of the antennae into his mouth, gently licking it.

"Oh fuck Dib!" Zim nearly growled in pleasure. In response to the sudden jolt, he scratched Dib's back deeply, drawing blood.

Dib didn't even react to the scratches as he relinquished the antennae, returning to the alien's mouth. "Keep it coming Zim…"

Zim's tongue slipped into Dib's mouth, exploring the human's warm cavity.

Dib gagged, the feeling of Zim's tongue in his mouth unfamiliar to him.

Zim drew back. "Are you okay?"

Dib nodded. "I'm okay." He pulled Zim's head back to him, engaging in a deep kiss.

Zim chuckled and slipped his tongue into Dib's mouth again. Their tongues swirled against each other's, Zim's often slipping deeper into Dib's throat. Dib fought the gag reaction when Zim's tongue brushed his gag reflex.

One of the human's hand reached up and grasped an antennae, the other reached into his pajama bottoms, but pulled out when the alien pulled away. "What?" Dib asked, confused.

"Someone's coming." Zim's PAK legs extended to the ceiling, pulling him up like a spider.

Dib blinked, stunned, then he yanked the cover over him as his doorknob turned.

"You… Canceled family night… You… Will… Pay…" Gaz stood at the doorway, her dark eyes glowing in the blackness.

Dib stared at Gaz. "Uh… Sorry Gaz…"

"Why?"

"Um… Zim… can't eat… the same food we do. You k-know that." Dib spluttered.

Gaz's glowing eyes narrowed.

"Gaz… Seriously, I'm sorry. I'll go get you some of Bloaty's Pizza tomorrow, to make it up to you."

"You can't make this up to me… But I guess I'll accept the pizza." Gaz's eyes disappeared as she shut the door.

Dib blinked at the door, then realized his backside felt wet. He reached and felt his back, feeling the bleeding scratches. "Shit… Did it get on the sheets?" He stood up and flipped on the light. He saw the blood on the sheets and groaned. "Shit… Hey, Zim, where are you?" Dib looked around and saw the alien suspended from the ceiling in the farthest corner. "You okay?"

Zim shrugged. "Do I look okay, Dib-stink?"

Dib sighed. "I'm sorry Gaz barged in."

"Oh no, it's not _your_ fault." Zim growled. "It's the monster's fault." He dropped onto the floor. "You're covered in blood."

"Yeah, I know." Dib nodded. He hissed when he removed his torn PJ top.

Zim growled and sat down in his makeshift bed at the foot of Dib's bed.

"Um… do you…" Dib looked over at Zim.

"No. Go to sleep." Zim growled quickly.

Dib blinked.

Zim didn't blink. "You heard me, Dib-meat." He plopped down onto his pillow.

"Um, don't you want to charge?"

"I'm good." Zim snapped.

Dib roiled his brows, tossed the torn top aside, and pulled the bloody sheets off his bed. "Oh shit…" He stared at the blood stains on the mattress. He sighed and flipped the mattress over. "I'll be back, I need to wash up and get new sheets." He left the room, leaving the light on.

"I should've known that would end badly…" Zim muttered. He rolled around on the bed, trying to get comfortable. Although he failed at this, so he glared at the door when Dib returned.

"Woah…"

Zim averted his glare. "It's not you, Dib."

"Yeah, but it's my _sister_." Dib said, the blood cleaned off and new sheets in tow. He covered the flipped mattress with the sheets.

"The monster…"

"Look, don't blame her. You heard what she said… So maybe it is my fault." Dib walked across the room and turned off the light, shutting the door. He returned to his bed and sat down. "I'm sorry."

"I said it wasn't you." Zim growled.

"Alright, geeze." Dib sighed and laid down as quietly as he could, though a hiss slipped from his mouth. "G'night Zim."

Zim grumbled and turned over onto his side. He listened to Dib's breathing as eventually it became shallow, alerting the Irken the human was asleep. He stood up and walked to the side of Dib's bed. Dib's back faced the window next to his bed, and he snored lightly. Zim raised himself up onto the bed with his PAK legs, settling down next to the human. He faced Dib for a while, but eventually turned over and faced the door to the room. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, and gave in, letting them fall. Just before falling asleep, he felt Dib's arm wrap around his torso, pulling him close.

"Good night Dib." Zim muttered as he fell asleep.

_I'm sorry! I couldn't resist having Gaz interrupt (and I don't want a lemon quite yet… ZaDr was just fully introduced.). So I've tried to address the problem of human saliva containing water and how Zim would actually kiss (or in this case, make out with) Dib. I'm at a loss as to what Zim could have done aside from coat his lips/face/what have you in paste. I don't think Dib would like the taste if he noticed, so paste isn't practical. Anyone have any ideas as to how Zim would repel the water? Dib is sure to wonder after he wakes up in the morning… And I apologize for the awkwardness – As it is awkward for the human and alien, it is awkward for me. I've never written anything like this before, so it's quite difficult to keep it real. ;) How'd I do?_


	8. Confess 2

_I am VERY VERY VERY sorry! The RaPr isn't working as I wanted it to (Can you tell in this chapter?)... So I'm sorry, but this chapter was kinda forced, and very short... I hope I make it up to you in the next chapter... I had to force myself to stop on that one XD When I can I'll try to make this one better - Just didn't want to keep you waiting any longer. Please forgive me XD_

"Purple… seriously."

"You felt it. I know you did!"

"Yeah, so? It's…"

"What? You don't…"

"Look, Pur… I don't think we-"

Purple grabbed Red and pulled him close, their antennae wrapping around each other's.

"Pur… Purple, stop!" Red shoved him off.

Purple fell onto the bed. He stared at Red, confused. "But…"

Red smirked. He tackled Purple and forced himself onto the Irken. "I take command."

Purple smirked also. "Alright, have it your way." Purple submitted himself to Red.

Red began peeling off the armor as quickly as possible, tossing it aside. His tongue snaked around Purple's antennae as he pulled on it.

"F…"

Red's eyes widened as he smirked.

"What?" Purple asked.

"You know you were going to say it…" His tongue withdrew.

"What of it?" Purple asked.

"Say it…" Red growled near Purple's antennae.

Purple squirmed under Red's grasp.

"Say it…" Red nibbled on Purple's antennae hard.

"Ngh… Fuck… you…" Purple growled and pulled his antennae away. He rolled Red onto his back and pounced on him, their tongues twisting in a deep kiss. Their antennae twisted together, and any slight movement between the duo sent waves of pleasure down their spines.

"Ngh.. Purple…" The crimson Irken growled as he bit at the violet one.

The violet Irken smirked as he pulled away, his turn to remove the armor from his partner.

"No!" Red growled and pulled Purple close. "No…"

"Why not Red?" Purple asked, smiling from pleasure.

Red threw Purple off and pounced. He bit and scratched at the Irken, tempted to draw blood. "You are mine, Purple… And I control you… I always have…"

Purple growled, a scowl forming. "No…"

"Yes!" Red bit Purple's antennae, twisting his tongue around it.

"FUCK!" Purple screamed in twisted pleasure. He moaned and gasped. "Okay… I'm… yours…"

Red eased up on the antenna and smiled sickly. "Yes… And always will be."

Purple growled, not exactly pleased with being submissive.

"Y'know… Pur…" Red pulled Purple up to his face. "I believe we should've tried this a long time ago…"

Purple moaned, hissing because of the pain on his antennae. "Lighten up on the an-"

Red shushed Purple, capturing the moaning violet eyed Tallest in a deep kiss.

Tallest Purple's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned onto Red. "Ngh… Exactly how long ago?"

"Since we were Elites." Red smirked, biting an antennae.

"No." Purple growled, smirking.

Red glared at Purple. "No?"

"Before that, we should've done this… Much before that…" Purple shoved Red off of him and pounced on him. "Let's make up for lost time… shall we?"


	9. Progress

_Is this okay? :D I have each chapter planned out, and the end planned. I don't think you'll like the end very much, but I think it'll be good. :D (I've probably said that before but I don't remember honestly XD) I'm still in the process of writing the other chapters and trying to improve the previous chapters, so yeah... XD_

Zim jerked awake, feeling movement behind him. He turned his head and looked, seeing Dib resting on his elbow.

"Good morning." Dib smiled at Zim.

Zim roiled his brows. "Why are you smiling? What have you boobie-trapped?" Zim jumped off the bed and glared at Dib. "How'd I get in your bed?"

Dib's smile faded. "I… I haven't done anything. I just woke up."

Zim studied Dib's face.

"And I have no clue how you got in my bed." Dib sat up and shrugged. "You were there when I woke up."

Zim dropped his guard. "Oh… Okay…" He muttered, nearly inaudible. He turned and picked up the Memory Drive from Tak's ship.

"Hey, Zim." Dib stood up.

"Eh?" Zim looked up at Dib.

"How is it you were able to kiss me last night?"

Zim suddenly remembered last night, how he and Dib were kissing and touching each other, and how the Dibsister barged into room."I don't know what you're talking about."

Dib roiled his brows. "When I kissed you the first time, your lips swelled up, having a reaction to the water in my saliva. How is it you were okay afterwards?"

"Eh? Uh…" Zim looked around the room. "Eh, don't worry about it, Dib-human. Zim's secret…" Zim smiled, hoping that would please Dib.

Dib roiled his brows, then shrugged. "Alright, as long as we get to do that more often…" He smirked.

Zim blinked, his smile faded. "Why do you… Like that?"

Dib cocked his head to the left, confused. "Huh?"

"Why do you enjoy it when Zim kisses you? Doesn't it…" Zim walked up to Dib, who continued to sit on the bed.

"Zim, I like it because it feels good." Dib grabbed Zim's shoulders and turned him around. He pulled Zim up to him and hung over him a bit, crossing his arms on Zim's chest, his face to the left of Zim's face.

"And, I just do." Dib smiled.

Zim roiled his brows, his eyes darting nervously over at Dib.

Dib began to play with Zim's antennae, conjuring a groan, and some purrs, out of the alien. "And I know you do too…"

Zim closed his eyes as Dib continued to play with the antennae, eventually beginning to lick one of them. Zim visibly shuddered, a gasp escaping his mouth. "Ngh… Dib…"

Dib smirked and continued to lick the antennae.

"Ngh! Shit! Dib! Gngh!" Zim started to squirm.

Dib relinquished the antennae. "What?"

Zim began rubbing at his head. "Your… Saliva…"

Dib's eyes widened. "Shit, I'm sorry…"

Zim's head quit steaming, but the base of his antennae swelled a little bit. "Ngh… Zim is going to… ngh… Work on the PAK…" Zim walked away, holding the sore base of his antennae.

Dib sighed. He saw the bloodied pajama top and sheets laying over in the floor, and he stood up and picked them up. He looked around, then rolled them up as small as possible. "I'm going to go trash these. I'll be back."

Zim nodded, sitting down on the floor and looking at the parts around him. "If the human expects to do that more often… Shit…" He stood and walked over to Dib's computer. He peeked out the door to see if Dib was on his way back yet. When he was satisfied with the result of 'no', he shut and locked the door. He began furiously typing on the computer. "I've got to make more of that liquid… Aha." He smiled, clicked print, and snatched the paper off the printer when it came out. He looked over it, then folded it up. He nearly jumped when someone knocked on the door.

"Zim? What are you doing?" Dib called from the other side.

Zim hid the paper in his PAK, then opened the door. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Dib roiled his brows. "Why was my door locked?"

"Because. It was." Zim smiled innocently at Dib. "I REQUIRE THE USE OF YOUR KITCHEN!"

Dib's brows roiled even more. "Why?"

"Because…" Zim's eyes darted around. "I'm… Hungry. Yeah, that's it."

"There aren't any leftover waffles." Dib blinked.

"Oh… Well… I REQURIE IT ANYWAY!" Zim darted past Dib and ran down the stairs.

"Zim, wait! My-" Dib ran after Zim.

Zim stopped and stared as Professor Membrane, who was sitting on the sofa in the living room, staring back at Zim. _Oh shit… he… he's going to want to dissect me now! Shit!_

"Dib, what is your little foreign green friend doing?" Membrane looked at Dib, who now stood behind Zim.

"He's uh…"

"Role playing." Zim said. "I'm acting like a very not NORMAL alien, and Dib is acting like his normal HYUMAN self. I'm NORMAL!" Zim ran into the kitchen.

Dib laughed nervously. "He's really thrilled…"

"Yes… I can tell." Membrane nodded. "Son, come sit."

Dib nodded and sat down next to his dad.

"I'm tired of your Para-science… It irks me."

Dib blinked. "But-"

"Shh… I believe it is now time for you to join me in REAL SCIENCE!" Membrane stood up, his fist in the air.

Dib sighed. "Um… Well… I don't want to do your science. I like the paranormal."

"Son, listen to me. You've been reduced to chasing your foreign green friend around the house, acting like he's an alien. ACTING." Membrane shook his son. "Please, my poor insane son…"

Dib opened his mouth to answer.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY SODA?" Gaz shrieked in the other room.

"NGH! !" Zim screamed, running into the living room.

Dib stared at Zim as the steaming Irken ran up the stairs, still screaming his head off. "Um… let me make sure he's okay." Dib stood up.

Gaz walked into the living room, a crushed can in her hand. "Dib, if Zim ever touches my soda again, he'll regret it."

Dib turned and ran up the stairs, still hearing Zim screaming. "Zim, what happened?" He ran into his room to see Zim writhing on the floor, steam coming off the alien.

"That monster!" Zim growled, raking his claws into his face, trying to relieve the burn.

Dib sighed. "You can't touch her soda." He tossed Zim a towel. "Dry off with this."

"But Zim needs it!" Zim growled, glaring at Dib. "You do too, Dib." He buried his face in the towel.

"Huh? How? How do I need it?" Dib asked, sitting down on his computer chair.

Zim's face re-emerged, covered in blisters. "It…" His eyes darted around the room. "It… Makes Zim… Able to… do… stuff…"

Dib seemed wary of Zim's answer. "Really Zim…" _What on Earth are you talking about…_

"Really." Zim nodded.

"Just don't piss my sister off, please." Dib sighed. "How are you coming on the Memory Drive?" Dib changed the subject.

"It's coming along." Zim looked at the Memory Drive. "Hey!" He looked at Dib. "Why aren't you going to school?"

"Huh? Oh, no school today."

"Oh… Okay." Zim shrugged. He tossed the towel aside and began working on the Memory Drive.

Dib stood up and left the room, muttering something about "bathroom".

Zim stood up and watched Dib go into the bathroom. He darted down the stairs, stopping before he was in view to make sure Membrane wasn't sitting on the sofa, watching TV. He heard a maniacal laugh coming from down below, so he believed it was safe to assume that Membrane was in his lab. Zim ran into the kitchen, grabbed another one of Gaz's sodas and poured it in a canister produced from his PAK. He discarded the can and hid the canister as he rummaged around the kitchen.

xxx

Dib returned to his room and saw Zim was missing. He roiled his brows. "Where could he have gone?" He walked down the stairs, hearing rummaging in the kitchen. "The kitchen…" Dib sighed and walked through the livingroom. "Zim, what are you doing?"

Zim turned around, a loaf of bread in his hand. "Erh…"

"You're not going to eat that whole thing, are you?" Dib smirked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"No. Never!" Zim tossed the loaf onto the table, munching on a slice.

Dib shook his head and tied the loaf shut, putting it back in the breadbox. "So, waffles and bread huh?"

Zim shrugged and finished the slice. "Hey, after we get through this whole mess of tricking the Tallest with my actual PAK, we should take a trip to FoodCortia."

"Food-a-whatta?" Dib roiled his brows.

Zim wiped the crumbs off his face. "FoodCortia. An Irken planet of pure fast food." Zim's mouth drooled with the thought.

Dib stared at Zim. "You'll be 'dead', Zim. Anyone who sees you there will know you're supposed to be dead."

"Yeah… But! I've got a great plan!"

Dib blinked. "And what is that?"

"You go get the food!"

"What? Are you insane Zim! I can't – I'm a human!"

"Yeah, so?"

Dib blinked again. "You don't get it, do you?"

"Yeah, I do. You don't get that you'd have a disguise on you." Zim chuckled. "Silly human."

Dib narrowed his stare. "We'll talk about that later." He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Zim smiled to himself. "Victory!" He held his mouth shut after his sudden outburst, watching to see if Dib returned. When he didn't, Zim smiled again, then pulled the canister out of his PAK. He shook it up, the sound of ice clinking around in it. He winced when he opened it – the smell hurt his antennae, and he drank an eighth of it. He closed the canister, holding his urge to scream at bay, and put it back in his PAK. He coughed, gasped for air, and fell to the ground, holding his throat. "Oh it burns!" Zim screamed as quietly as he could. When the burning subsided in his throat, he walked over to the sink, turned it on, and tested the resilience to water. The water didn't hurt him – His skin didn't even react with it. He smiled, turned off the water, and proudly marched through the living room, his antennae high, ignoring the faint warming feeling in his squeedily spooch.

"Zim…" Gaz stepped into the living room.

"What does the Dibsister want?" Zim growled.

Gaz crushed the empty can she found in the garbage.

Zim blinked, screamed, and ran up the stairs.

"Zim!" Gaz yelled after Zim, the can still in her hand.

Dib stood at the top of the steps, waiting for the screaming Zim.

"Dib-stink! Help me! She's full of lies!" Zim screamed, then jumped in between Dib's legs, crawling up onto his shoulders. "YOU LIE!" Zim screamed at Gaz as she stopped and glared at the duo.

"Zim… you drank another one of my sodas…" She threw the can at Zim, hitting Dib on the head.

Dib rubbed his head and growled. "Zim… did you?"

Zim shook his head hard. "LIES!"

Dib looked at Gaz. "I'll buy you more soda Gaz, okay?"

"You won't always be around to protect your boyfriend Dib… I will have revenge…" She grumbled as she stomped down the stairs.

Zim blinked, then looked at Dib. "Boy…friend?"

"A term for someone who's dating someone else." Dib ignored the fact Zim was still clutched onto his shoulders and walked into his room.

"So, I'm your boy-friend?" Zim jumped off onto Dib's bed.

"Look, Zim. If you piss off my sister again, I won't protect you." Dib growled, irritated.

Zim roiled his brows. "What's wrong with the Dib-human?"

Dib shrugged. "I'm just tired, Zim…"

"Dib, you're lying." Zim growled, glaring at Dib.

Dib looked astonished at Zim. He opened his mouth to speak.

"What is really the matter, Dib?" Zim stood up on the PAK legs.

Dib stared at Zim. "How could you tell I was lying?"

"Zim has known you long enough to know when you're lying." Zim smirked.

"But, most of those times you just said it to get out of something. Like with Gaz."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Zim screamed.

Dib's eyes narrowed. "Like that."

Zim blinked. "Erh… You are right! Zim does that only to trick you!"

"Zim, stop."

Zim roiled his brows. "In all seriousness, Dib-human. What's the matter?"

Dib shrugged. "It's hard to explain.

Zim smirked to himself. He walked over on the PAK legs and shut the door.

"Zim, what are you doing?"

Zim began to advance on Dib.

Dib backed away onto his bed.

"Zim knows what's wrong…" Zim ejected himself into the air, the PAK returning the legs. He fell onto Dib, forehead against forehead. "And Zim can fix it…"

Dib blinked and smiled. "Oh really now?"

"See? Zim is fixing it already!" Zim leaned up and laughed. "VICTORY FOR ZIM!"

"Not yet Zim," Dib grabbed Zim and kissed him.

Zim's eyes widened, then closed as Dib rolled onto the bed.

"This time, Zim. Be gentler with the claws." Dib muttered as he began to play with Zim's antennae.

Zim purred. "I… Will try…" He bit on Dib's bottom lip, drawing blood.

"Shit Zim…" Dib growled, licking the blood. "What is it with you and biting my lip?"

Zim smirked, "Because it tastes better like this." Zim engaged in a deep kiss with Dib.

Dib leans up into the kiss, sticking his tongue in Zim's mouth.

Zim bit on the unwelcome tongue, and its owner retracted it.

"What, am I not allowed to do that?" Dib growled.

Zim smirked. "Nope. Not yet." Zim froze and looked at the door. "Shit…" He muttered.

"Wh-"

Professor Membrane opened the door and looked at Dib.

"I'll destroy you, FILTHY HUMAN!" Zim shrieked and grabbed Dib's neck.

Dib, confused, just stared at Zim.

"Don't you want to try to stop me?" Zim growled, shaking him.

"I will always stop you, you ugly space monster!" Dib caught on and growled.

Membrane blinked. "My poor insane son…" He sighed and shut the door.

Dib jumped up and looked at Zim. "That was great thinking Zim!"

Zim held his stomach. "Ooph…"

"You okay?"

"Did you have to throw me off?" Zim growled, sitting up. He jumped when a cable protracted out of his PAK and connected to the Memory Drive next to Zim. Zim gasped and froze.

"Zim? What's going on?" Dib kneeled in front of the frozen Irken.

Zim didn't even blink.

"Zim?" Dib stared at Zim. "Are you okay?"

After about fifteen seconds, Zim fell over onto the floor.

Dib grabbed Zim. "What the hell is going on?"

"The Memory… Drive… Works…" Zim smiled as his PAK disconnected from the drive. "I think we can download my personality into it soon!" Zim's smile widened ever more so as the possibilities came to light.

Dib smiled also, happy for the Irken. "That's awesome… When do you want to do that?"

"After the PAK is done. I don't want to screw up and erase my personality." Zim stood up and picked up the drive, which was only as big as a CD.

"Alright. What do you need next?"

"Well, the PAK has an atmospheric processor and a charging cell."

"Charging cell should wait until last. That processor will be hard to do."

Zim nodded. "It will."

"Okay, lemme look on the computer for anything that could be of use." Dib sat down on the computer and began typing, looking up information on Google.

Zim raised up on his PAK legs and watched from behind Dib. He rested his head on Dib's, pushing the scythe down.

Dib's eyes flickered up then back at the screen, smiling. He really enjoyed the peaceful side of Zim, especially when Zim didn't mind the contact between the duo, like at the moment.

Zim's arms fell onto Dib's shoulders, and he found himself reaching down the front of Dib's shirt, scratching.

Dib hissed. "Ow."

Zim smirked. "Deal with it."

"I'll have to." Dib shrugged, and continued working.

Zim's hand retracted from Dib's shirt, resting again on the human's shoulders. He stared at the screen for a few minutes, then smirked, an idea coming to mind. His tongue snaked out of his mouth, and he tried to avoid moving at all as he extended his tongue long enough to lick Dib's ear.

Dig gasped and shuddered. "Zim, I've got to work."

Zim chuckled. "I don't."

"Exactly." Dib smirked to himself, then went back to working again.

Zim's eyes closed, and he decided he was bored watching Dib work on looking for info. He decided to lick the other ear.

Dib gasped again.

Faster than Zim knew it, Dib had turned around and grabbed Zim and pinned him down onto the bed. Dib sported a smirk as he stared at the Irken. "So you wanna play huh?"

Zim smirked also. "Dib-human finally caught on…"

"I guess the Atmospheric Processor can wait until later…" Dib leaned down and kissed Zim.

Zim began to protest.

"No, I'm taking charge now." He smirked, but stopped and stared at Zim.

Zim quit struggling. "What?"

Dib got off of Zim. "Wait… There has to be something we could use in Tak's ship for the Charging Cell."

Zim growled. "Is that what you humans think about all the time? Work?"

"No, I just had an epiphany."

"A what?" Zim sat up and glared.

"An attack of the brain." Dib walked out of the room. "C'mon."

Zim stood up on his PAK legs and followed. "Do these 'epiphanies' hurt? What part of your body does your brain attack?"

"No, not a literal attack Zim. I should've worded it better." Dib thought for a moment as they passed through the kitchen.


End file.
